Display card



Aug. 4, 1953 R. G. ELLIS DISPLAY CARD Filed Jan. 9, 194'! Richard 6? Ellis u 1 /I/Z/ I g Patented Aug. 4, 1953 DISPLAY CARD Richard G. Ellis, Rockford, Ill., assignor to General Cement Mfg. 00., Rockford, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application January 9, 1947, Serial No. 721,039

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a new and. improved display card especially designed and adapted for use in the selling of various packaged products that are commonly sold in heavy paper envelopes, such as screws, tacks, brads, bolts, and the like, the invention in its broader aspects being also applicable to confectionery, nuts, and other foods, commonly sold in envelopes of transparent material, such as glassine or cellophane.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a display card which can be used on a counter or tacked onto the wall with two, three, or more display card sections in one card, or may be broken up into as many separate display cards for individual display on the counter or in a compartment of a display table or tacked onto the wall, a further novel feature being the possibility of folding a three or four section card to form a triangular or rectangular box-like display stand which is self-supporting on a counter or shelf or wherever it may be placed in the store.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a display card made in accordance with my invention, a portion being broken away to show that each of the sections has its individual easel;

Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the display card of Fig. 1 after the top portion has been torn off and the lower portion has been folded and tied into a box-like display stand;

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing a triangular box type display stand formed by three sections of the same card, the ends of which are fastened together with adhesive tape;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one torn-01f section of the display card of Fig. 1 being used as an individual display, and

Fig. 5 is a side view showing how a card like that of Fig. 1 may be hung up on the wall, this View being, however, intended only to show the single-section display of Fig. 4 hung on a wall.

The same reference numerals are applied to corresponding parts throughout the views.

Referring to the drawing, the display card shown in Fig. l and indicated generally by the reference numeral I0 is perforated lengthwise, as indicated at H, to define four sections [2, l3, l4 and onto which envelopes l 6 containing the machine screws or other merchandise to be displayed for sale are preferably stapled in vertically spaced relation, as indicated at H, the envelopes hanging on the four sections l2-l5 in overlapping relationship to one another in vertical rows, as shown, thus making it an easy matter for the customer or clerk to take hold of the uppermost one from a row and pull it off. The flaps of the envelopes are preferably glued and sealed so that there is no objection if a small fragment of the end of the envelope is torn off at the staple in the removal of the envelope from the card. All of the rows of envelopes may, of course, contain the same articles, but, as indicated by the legends at it in Fig. 1, a four-section display card can be used for the displaying of four different sizes of machine screws, for example, or four different sizes of brads, tacks, or bolts, thus greatly increasing the sales possibilities. Each of the sections l2-I5 has an eyelet l9 or punched hole in the middle of the upper end portion thereof so that the individual sections when torn from the card along the perforation lines ll may be hung on the wall by means of a tack or nail, as indicated at 20 in Fig. 5. Each section is also preferably provided with a foldable easel 2| on the back thereof having a foldable brace portion 22 connecting the lower end of the easel with the lower end of the card, thus permitting the four-section card to be stood up on the counter as a unit, as shown in Fig. 1, or the individual sections to be stood on the counter, as shown in Fig. 4. Of course, where the compartments in a display table are wide enough to permit, the four-section display cards may be laid one on top of another in the compartment, but usually the compartments are narrower, and will easily accommodate the separated sections l2-l5. I may make the four-section card I ll with only the vertically extending perforation lines I l and use the eyelets 19 for hanging the card on a wall in the manner shown in Fig. 5, but the four-section card can be made stiffer if there is a top section 23 extending the full width of the four sections. A horizontal perforation line 24 is indicated in Fig. 1 between the top section 23 and the sections I245 defined between the vertical perforation lines H, the lines ll terminating at the line 24, as shown. Additional eyelets 25 or punched holes are provided in the opposite ends of the top section 23 for use in hanging the four-section display card in the manner of Fig. 5. When the card In is to be broken up into four display cards, the top section 23 is folded along the line 24 and torn oif, after which the sections l2-l5 are folded along the lines II and torn off. It is apparent from the foregoing that I have provided a display card that is widely adaptable to suit the different needs and preferences of store managers and proprietors, and one which will enable full use of wall space and spare counter and shelf space so that a much greater volume of sales can be realized. Furthermore, because the envelopes containing the merchandise must be torn 011, there is much less likelihood of a dishonest customer picking one up and slipping it into his pocket unnoticed, and this method of display of the merchandise avoids confusion: and-"saves the clerks time in finding what is asked for, if the customer has not already made his selection from the display card.

Then, too, more merchandise can be displayed in a given floor space with this type of display than with many other displays previously used.

As shown in Fig. 2, a display'stand may beformed from a four-sectionfiat cardbyfolding along the perforation lines I l, and suitably tying the folded card in that form. A paper washer 26 can be supplied on one of the end sections 12 or and fastened with the eyelet i0, and astring 21 can be tied at one end to the card behindithis washerandpassed around the folded cardtandwound around the tied end behind the washer 26, as illustrated in. Fig. 2, to tie the folded:.ca rd in'theboX-like form: This makes an attractive displayfor use on the end of a counter or forwuse in the centerof. a small display table and'vwherever it is desirable to have the merchandise arranged so as to be seen from all four sides-20f the display. The folded display stand is; of course, self-supporting and is substantially evenlybalancedby' reason of the fact that the same number of filled envelopes it are carried 01.1 .63.011 of the'four sides. Where the string 2"; isanot. tobe" used, because the display card is to be used-in the four-section form shown in Fig. 1, or in? the separate section: form shown in Fig. 4, itn.can,'of course, be out off so as not to be in the way; Furthermore, if the user prefers, he may use transparent adhesive cellophane tape to fasten. longitudinal edges of adjoining sections (2 and l5'together, as indicated at 2B in Fig. 3, where the-tape is applied to the longitudinal edge portionswof adjoining sections [3 and 15 in a triangular boxv typedisplay formed from three sections; [3-115 of the display card 10. A three-sided display stand, like that of Fig. 3, is more desirable incertainspots than a four-sided one, like that of. Fig.2.. A display stand of the triangular from is self-supporting and the weight of the merchandisethereon is evenly balanced. A further form of folded display stand suggests itself fromthese others; namely, one in which the fold lines. I! .extendtransversely instead of longitudinally; Thus, acard foldable at the middle to inverted V-form would have envelopes 16 of merchandise displayed on opposite sides.

It is believed the foregoing description conveys'a good-understanding of the objects and advantages ofmy invention. The appended claim has been drawn to cover all legitimate modifications and adaptations.

I claim:

A display card. adapted for use interchangeably on a counter or wall as a stand type or pendent type display card for displaying articles mounted thereon in vertical rows, said card comprising a substantiallyrectangular body of stiff sheet material, having spaced parallel vertical lines of weakening, one between each pair of rows, defining a plurality of rectangular display card sections, one for each row, the card being quickly and easily subdivisi'ble into its separate sections by tearingor cutting along said lines, there being a" transversely extending reinforcing end section on at least one side of and integral with the rest of the body of said card joined to the adjacent ends of the separable sec tions,- said transverse end section being marked off from the ends of the separable sections by a Weakeni'n'gline, along which it may be torn or cut off from the rest of the card, and one or more openings in said transverse end section for the hangin of the'ensemble, each of said sections also having anopening in the top portion there-- of for the hanging of the sections individually, each-of said sections also having a i'oldable easel support on the back thereof unfoldable from a position fiat against the back toa position in acute angle relation thereto.

RICHARD G.

References Gitedi. in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 246,081 Caterson Aug. 23, 1801 445,745 Blackrner Feb. 3, 1891 484,677 Schwerdt Oct. 18, 1892 730,276 Lepper June 9, 1903 733,441. Wade et a1. July 14, 1903 790,438 Josephson May 23, 1905 1,291,161" Rosenberg Jan. 14, 1919 1,310,765 Myers July 22, 1919 1,402,635 Meyer Jan. 3, 1922 1,410,925 Kempton Mar. 28, 1922 1,785,498 Savageau Dec. 16, 1930 1,793,101 Lombarde Feb. 17, 1931 1,803,602 Dey May 5, 1931 1,875,563 Cooke et a1 Sept. 6, 1932 1,896,721 Richards Feb. 7, 1933 1,997,310 Roege Apr. 9, 1935 2,144,716 D'urofchalk Jan. 24, 1939 2,302,140 Paulin Nov. 17, 1942 2,374,798 Berkowitz May 1, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 17,859 Great Britain Dec. 28, 1887 

